Improvement in easels



J. H. STRATTON.

Easel.

, f atented Aug. 19, I879.

ATTORNEYS.

N- PEYERS, PHOTO-LITHUGMPNER, WASHKNGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JOSEPH H. STRATTON, or BELOIT, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN EASELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,791, dated August 19, 1879 application filed May 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH H. STRATTON, of Beloit, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Easel, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an adjustable support for carriage-bodies, coffins, and other similar articles while undergoing painting, varnishing, and other work, so that they can be set in any desired position to accommodate them to the position of the workman.

It consists of a table or stand provided with devices for holding the body, and pivoted to the end of a lever fulcrumed between two uprights or standards, and with arrangements for securing it in different positions.

It also consists of details of construction and arrangement fully described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement, holding the body in an inclined position. Fig. 2 is an end view, with a part in section. Fig. 3 represents the top of the table; and Fig. 4. is adetail in section on line yy, Fig. 3, of the pivotal connection between the table and lever.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.-

Referring to the drawings, the bottom frame of the easel consists of two parallel side plates,

A A, joined together at one end by cross-piece B, and at the opposite end mortised in the T- head 0. Said frame is supported on casters a,

so that the whole easel can be easily moved about from place to place in the room.

From the sides A A rise two standards, D

.D. Between these, near the top, is fulcrumed a lever, E. The projecting end of this lever is formed into a pivot, b, which is passed through a block, 0, thence into the cross-bars d d, to which it is secured by a screw passed down into the pivot from the upper side. These cross-pieces are secured together where they cross, but turn freely on the pivot. They form the table on which the article is placed to be varnished.

In the ends of cross-bar d are mortises, through which are passed the ratchet-shanks e of adjustable gages F, held in place by wedges f. The purpose of these gages is to furnish a support for the ends of the body or other object, and they are made vertically adjustable, to enable them to be raised or lowered to accommodate them to those bodies having curved or otherwise uneven bottoms.

In the ends of bar cl are hooks g, passed through holes therein. On the under ends are pivoted lever-cams h h. These hooks are designed to take hold of the cross-bar i on the under side of the body to be varnished, in the manner shown in Fig. 2. They are tightened by turning the cams up against the under side of bar 11', as in Fig. 1, which, drawing the hooks down, fastens the body tightly to the table.

The lever E is provided with a hinged extension, E, and the part of lever E next to the hinge is formed into a tenon, j, which is pivoted between the ends of the bifurcated bar G, the opposite end whereof projects through the standards D D, and is provided with a transverse pin, k, which runs along the edges of the standards in position to engage the notches l l.

The shoulders k of the tenon j are inclined, and on one side is a notch, m. 'When the lever is turned to a vertical position the inclined shoulder strikes the end of latch n, passed through and pivoted in the standard, and, throwing it down, it enters the notch m when the lever is perfectly upright, and holds it in that position.

On the outer side of lever'E, near the upper end, is placed a bolt, H, in position to be entered into one of the holes 0 in the under side of block 0, and thus prevent the table from turning on the pivot. The standards are strengthened in their position by braces pp.

The manner of using the easel is as follows: The body I is placed upon the table with its ends over the gages F, (which are raised high enough to support them,) and the cross-bard resting on bar (1. The hooks g, which are turned aside to allow the bar to take its place, are then placed over the bar '5, and the cams turned up so as to tighten the hooks. This secures the bottom to the table, as shown in Fig. 1. By releasing the lever from the latch n the body can now be turned into the inclined position shown in Fig. 1, the pins icon the end of the bar Gr entering notch l and holding it in that position. Releasing it from this notch and allowing it to enter notch 1' enables the body to be held in a vertical position parallel to the standards. When the body is in these positions the extension E of the lever can be turned up against E out of the way of the workman.

By throwing the lever down between the standards and allowing the latch 12 to engage the notch m, the body is held in a horizontal position, as in Fig. 2. By withdrawing the bolt H the table is allowed to turn on its pivot and be secured in any desired position with relation to the pivots.

Thus by means of this easel the body or other article can be made to assume a variety of positions, enabling the workman to reach any part of it, whereby his work is greatly facilitated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. The bifurcated bar G, pivoted at one end to the lever E, and the opposite end passed between standards 1) D, and provided with pin it, in position to engage notches I I, in combination with standards D D, with notches l l, and lever E, whereby the same can be held in an angular position relatively to the standards l) I), substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the lever E, havin g pivot I), and fulcrumed between standards I) I), of the block a, cross-bars d d, the ratcheted gage-shanks c, wedge f, hooks g, pivoted cams h, andcross-bar i, all arranged as and for the purpose specified.

3. The latch 11, in combination with the inclined shoulder k and notch m in lever E, to hold the same in vertical position between the standards, substantially as described.

4. The bolt H on lever E, in combination with block 0, with holes 0, pivoted on said lever and attached to the bars (1 d, forming the supporting-table, said bolt being used to secure the block and table in position and prevent it from rotating on the pivot, substantially as described.

JOSEPH HENRY STRATTON.

Witnesses:

A. T. M. BUCHANAN, AMASA COBBS. 

